Oat product



Patented Aug. 1, 1944 OAT PRODUCT Sidney Musher, New York, N. Y., asslgnor to Musher Foundation Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York No Drawing. Application November 17, 1943, Serial No. 510,831

Claims.

The present invention relates to stabilizers for food and other products as well as to the roduction of a novel oat product.

In producing food products such as ice cream, sherbets, ices, icings, cream cheese, etc. of desirable body and texture it has been customary to utilize various ingredients or combinations thereof such as gelatin, sodium alginate, algin, pectin, agar, Irish moss and psyllium seed and. to a lesser extent, products of the nature of gum tragacanth and India gum.

These materials are not only quite expensive but furthermore it is diflicult to obtain in many food products a desirable combination of physical characteristics such as proper viscosity, body and texture, and, in the case of ice cream, resistance to formation of ice and lactose crystals upon holding in dealers cabinets.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a stabilizer and ingredient for food products and particularly for frozen desserts such as for ice cream which will supply at low cost good body, texture and viscosity as well as other desirable physical characteristics.

Another object is to provide stabilization and desirable physical characteristics for other compositions by economical and readily available means.

A still further object is to provide a novel oat product having unusual physical characteristics and capable of accomplishing these desired results when added to water, milk or other compositions.

Still further objects and advantages will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

It has now been found that when a certain fraction of oats has been properly separated from the oat grain and desirably finely divided it may be incorporated as an ingredient and stabilizer in a food product such as in a frozen dessert to give such food product excellent body, texture and viscosity and in the case of frozen desserts being efiective in reducing ice and lactose crystal formation so that the frozen dessert will stand up for a long period of time in the dealers cabinets and in the manufacturing plant.

These stabilizing properties are not to be found in the oat grain as a whole or in ordinary oat products as, for example, in oat flour made by grinding oat groats or in pulverized oats or cat hulls. These properties are only developed when a special fraction of the oat grain is removed from the balance of the oat grain.

This special oat fraction is a relatively low starch, relatively high protein fraction which may be obtained after removal of the cellulosic hulls of the oats and after removal of a large portion of the relatively high starch fraction.

This particular fraction of oats is best prepared by first milling the oats to remove the cellulosic hulls leaving the oat groats. This is desirably accomplished by drying the cats with their hulls to reduce the moisture content in order more readily to remove the hulls from the oats. The oat groats thus obtained are then specially processed to remove the relatively high starch fraction and to concentrate the relatively high protein fraction thereof, obtaining a fraction which contains desirably in excess of about 20% protein and most desirably in excess of 22% protein.

In treating these oat groats to obtain the special stabilizer desired the groats are pulverized desirably in an attrition mill to such an extent that at least 50% and desirably 80% to 90% will pass through a screen -or mesh or bolting cloth having a fineness in excess of about mesh and desirably having a, fineness in excess of mesh.

The oat groats are ground as indicated above and the ground groats are then separated as by aspirating or screening into two fractions, namely, a coarse fraction and a fine fraction, the coarse fraction comprising the minor fraction of less than 50% by weight and most desirably comprising 10% to-20% of the total weight of the ground oat groats and the fine fraction comprising over 50% and most desirably between and of the total weight of the ground oat groats.

It is the coarse residue which is left after such grinding and screening or bolting or after aspirating which is found to contain the properties most desirable for incorporation in food products such as in ice cream or other frozen desserts as the stabilizer, and the gum and stabilizing effect is most particularly observed after the coarse fraction has all been ground to a fineness' of at least 50 mesh and most desirably to at least 60 mesh.

This eflect is not evident or evidenced when the whole cats are ground and utilized as such or when the oat flour made by grinding oat groats is utilized as such because of the fact that other constituents therein render ineffective the unusual stabilizing or gummy properties of the ground, relatively high rotein and relatively low starch containing dehulled oat fraction of the present invention. The unusual stabilizing or gummy properties described herein are obtainable only by the use of the novel oat product of the present invention, which novel oat product is obtained in accordance with the procedures outlined herein.

In the preferred procedure the oat groats, after removal of the hulls by milling processes, are pulverized or ground and then by aspirating, bolting or screening, the relatively high starch containing oat fraction is removed. The pulverized oat groats may, for example, be aspirated to separate the minor fraction of the relatively low starch and relatively high protein containing materials. This process may where desired be continued by regrinding, rescreening or reaspiration until the relatively high starch material has been largely removed leaving the relatively high protein fraction behind desirably to be round to at least 60 mesh for use in accordance with the procedures of the present invention.

The coarse fraction obtained will generally have a protein content in excess of 20% and more desirably in excess of 22%. At the same time the starch content of the coarse fraction will be reduced to much less than the starch content of the move all particles which will not go through a 60 mesh screen. v

A most highly desirable method is to grind the oat groats until over 75%, and desirably between 80% and 90%, will go through a 70 mesh screen but wherein the balance of between and remains on the screen. Then the ground groats are aspirated or screened to remove all the coarse ticles and separating that fraction which will go through a 60 or more mesh screen followed by regrinding the remaining coarse portion and continuing the grinding and separating until allof the coarse fraction has been ground to a point where the entire coarse fraction will go through at least a 60 mesh screen.

This material although very difierent in composition, qualities and chemical structure from particles and to separate the fine fraction comprising 80% to 90% from the coarse fraction comprising the balance of 10% to 20% which coarse fraction is used in accordance with the procedures of the present invention.

The oat material which goes through the screen or the fine material whichis aspirated will con-. tain the relatively high starch fraction whereas the material left behind on the screen or the gelatin, sodium alginate, algin, pectin, Irish moss and psyllium seed, when added to a food product such as to an ice cream results in giving the food product most desirable qualities.

Moreover, the stabilizing action given by this particular fraction of oats is given by neither the cat flour produced by grinding oat groats nor by starch;

Moreover, the product produced in accordance with the present invention has not been found replaceable by any other fraction of cats, or by any other type of cereal or its fractions, including wheat or its fractions, corn or its fractions, barley or its fractions, rye or its fractions, rice or its fractions, or other types of cereals which the applicant has carefully studied.

Although the chemical composition may vary it has been found that 20% protein should be present and most desirably 22% protein. Highly desirable materials have been made containing 25% to 29% protein.

It has been found possible, where desired, to bleach this special oat fraction with chlorine or hypochlorite to lighten its color. It is also possible to obtain this bleaching effect with reducing agents such as sulfites but these reducing agents are not as effective as the oxidizing bleachinfl agents.

By the term dry milled oat product" as used in the present application and claims is meant an oat product which has been subjected to either grinding, screening, bolting, aspirating or combinations thereof or even to oil solvent extraction but wherein the oat producthas been processed in the substantial absence of water.

The special oat fraction made by the present invention and which desirably has been finely divided to at least about mesh may be used as a stabilizer and ingredient for food products and particularly for frozen desserts such as ice cream,

sherbets and ices, ice milk and similar compositions.

In the case of ice cream, the special oat fraction is added to the ice cream mix desirably becoarse fraction thereof win be relatively low inhoo starch content.

This coarse, relatively low starch and relatively high protein material is desirably finely divided and may then be used in accordance with the procedures of the present invention, the unusual stabilizing properties now being present with the l removal. of the cellulosic hulls and the relatively fore pasteurizing and homogenizing. The addition is preferablymade while the mix is still cool and at a temperature of not exceeding F. Where desired, the finely divided special oat fraction may be mixed with about 4 parts of their weight of a dry sugar followed by adding the combination to the mix. The pasteurization temperature may be between about F. and F. to F. and preferably the higher temperature ranges of 160 F. to 170 F.

In the case of sherbets, ices and other similar frozen dessert compositions the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention may be added directly to the mix or a combination may first be prepared of 1 part of the special oat fraction with 1 to 4 parts of sugar and 2 to 5 to the sherbet, fruit ice or ice mix in the normal manner and 'in the desired proportion.

The finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention may be used with frozen dessert compositions and particularly with ice cream in the production of any fiavor or frozen dessert such as in the production of strawberry ice cream, chocolate ice cream, peach ice cream, vanilla ice cream, etc.

Furthermore, the special oat fraction of the present invention which desirably has been finely divided may be added to cream before freezing where the cream is subsequently to be used in the manufacture of ice cream or other similar frozen dessert or may be added to the fruit such as to strawberries, peaches, etc., in a minor amount of less than 2% and desirably between 0.1% and 0.75% at the time the fruits are frozen.

The special oat fraction of the present invention which desirably has been finely divided may be used for addition to aqueous food compositions or to food compositions containing a minor amount of water or similar aqueous medium with or without short, or prolonged heating to obtain unusual thickening, gelatinous and gummy characteristics.

As little as 0.05% to 2% of the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention may be utilized to develop unusual physical stabilizing characteristics and where desired even higher amounts may be employed such as up to about 5% to although it is preferable to use not over about 2% against the weight of the food product.

For example, in the manufacture of icings, the special oat fraction produced in accordance (with the present invention and which desirably has been finely divided may be added to the icing composition in an amount of less than about 2% in lieu of pectin, algin, gelatin or similar stabilizer.

In the manufacture of cream cheese, the finely divided special oat fraction may be used in an amount of between 0.5% and 1.5% in replacement for locust bean gum to retard syneresis, to give stabilization and fine body and texture and smoothness to the cream cheese.

In the manufacture of candies and confections the special oat fraction which desirably has been finely divided may be used in chocolate coatings to give improved spreading and dipping qualities to the chocolate and to retard blooming. The finely divided special oat fraction may also be used in fondants, gum drops, cream and marshmallow fillings, as well as for other candy and confectionery products to give unusual thickening and stabilization characteristics.

In marshmallow fillings the finely divided special oat fraction may b employed in replacement for corn syrup to give a high quality marshmallow product on the basis of using, for example, from 0.3% to 1.5% of the finely divided special oat fraction in lieu of 10% or more of the corn syrup normally employed.

Similarly in the manufacture of jams and Jellies, fruit icings and similar compositions, the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention may be employed in place of the more expensive gums to give high stabilization characteristics.

The finely divided special oat fraction may also be utilized for bakery purposes such as for pie fillings, custards and puddings and where desired the results of the present invention may be obtained without substantial gelatinization or without heating to a temperature of 160 F. or more.

The stabilizing effect may also be obtained in the preparation of relishes or in processed cheeses such as pimento type cheeses as well as in salad dressings including mayonnaise, salad dressings, relish spreads, French dressings, etc.

A small amount, desirably not over 2% and preferably 1% or less, of the special oat fraction which desirably has been finely divided is added to the food composition.

In an ice cream or similar frozen dessert generally the preferred amount to be used is between 0.5% and 0.75% against the total weight of the mix, that is, against the total weight of all the ice cream ingredients such as the milk, sugar, flavoring and other materials used. For example, between 5 pounds and 7 /2 pounds of the finely divided special oat fraction are added to each 1000 pounds of ice cream mix. In the case of sherbets and ices a slightly higher proportion may be used up to about 1% of the total weight of the mix ingredients.

The other components of the frozen dessert mix may be retained as normally used,,which ingredients comprise milk solids, butterfat, whole milk, condensed milk, skim milk, sugar (including cane or corn or both) and flavoring materials such as fruits, vanilla, chocolate, nuts, art ficial flavors, etc.

The special oat fraction which desirably has been finely divided and which is prepared in accordance with the procedure of the present invention may also be added to the fruits at the time they are frozen, such addition being made in the small amount of less than 20% or the finely divided special oat fraction may be added to cream before the cream is frozen, or to any other one of the ice cream or frozen dessert in redients so that when the fruit or the frozen cream or the ice cream ingredient containing the finely ground special oat fraction is incorporated in the ice cream mix, the ice cream mix will contain as an ingredient and stabilizer a small amount of the finely divided special oat fraction herein described.

In some cases as little as 0.05% will give a good stabilizing effect but the preferred amounts to use are in the neighborhood of 0.6% against the total weight of the ice cream mix and preferably between 0.5% and 0.75%.

The food product made by the use of a small amount of the finely divided special oat fraction as an ingredient and as the stabilizer will have an excellent body and texture and viscosity.

It has been found particularly desirable for the special oat fraction of the present invention, which preferably has been finely divided, to be added to aqueous products containing at least 10% of a sugar such as of dextrose, sucrose, glucose, lactose, etc., and desirably 40% to 50% or more of sugar followed by heating to an elevated temperature of at least F. and desirably to a temperature of between F. and 210 F. or more to develop unusual plastic and viscous properties.

For example, in the manufacture of icings, the finely ground special oat fraction is desirably added to the icing mix containing the sugar in aqueous solution, the addition being made in a small percentage of less than about 2% followed by heating in order to develop high viscosity and plasticity. This unusual viscosity and plasticity are particularly desirable in many food products such as in icings, jams, fruit ripples for ice cream, bakery and confectionery products, etc.

Where desired, there may be combined with the cosity is obtained even within wide ranges like, and which aqueous composition may contain starch, sugar, sulfonated oils, printing inks, soaps or other materials and which increased visof pH such as between pH 2 and-DH 10.

The viscosity of aqueous compositions containing the special oat fraction herein described increases markedly upon standing even at room temperature and without an elevated tempera-' ture treatment. For example, it has been found that when the special fraction prepared in accordance with the procedures of the present invention is suspended in water or similar aqueous medium with or without short or prolonged heating, an unusual thickening, gelatinous and gummy suspension is formed having many useful properties and which may be used'as a thickening or stabilizing agent or gum in food products, pharmaceutical products, as a sizing for paper and textiles or as a stabilizing agent in physical two phase systems.

For example, the special oat fraction of the present invention may be used in the preparation of cosmetics as for hand lotions, face creams, for baths or for application where a high viscosity and adhesiveness are desired. For example, from 2% to 15% of the special oat fraction may be dispersed in water preferably with agitation and range enables the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention to be used in agrias the volatile hydrocarbon oils such as hexane or petroleum ether, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, dichlor' ethyl ether, or similar fat solvent or, less preferably, either analcohol such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol propyl alcohol, iso propyl alcohol or combinations of any of the above.

The .residue which is obtained following this extraction procedure and following removal of the fat has been found to develop unusually greater stabilization features with h'gher viscosity so that even a lesser amount of the residue irom the fat extracted special oat fraction or the finely divided special oat fraction may be employed for stabilization. The special defatted oat product also has great value because of its foaming characteristics which. appear to resemble egg albumen 'when agitated in an aqueous composition.

The present application is a continuation in part of applications, Serial No. 401,967 filed July V 11, 1941 entitled Water thickening agents and used as a bath for cosmetic or dermatogical pur-' I poses.

, Similarly in the manufacture of pharmaceutical emulsions and cosmetic preparations the ground special oat fraction may be employed in place of the expensive gums to give high stabilization characteristics. For example, from 2% to 15% of the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention may be used in the preparation of hand lotions, facial or skin creams or lotions, foot-ease powders, or other cosmetic preparation, the finely divided special oat fraction giving smooth viscosity and excellent spreading qualities as well as smoothness to the skin, bleaching effects and other desirable qualities.

Furthermore in printing inks the present composition may be employed to provide a medium of high viscosity touse as a carrier for inks and in the textile industry may be employed to deepen the color of the textiles and to provide good body characteristics. Where used for pharmaceutical preparations there may be combined with the dispersed special oat fraction such products as zinc stearate, lanolin, or in connection with such products or other pharmaceutical or dermatological products there may be combined therewith bactericidal or fungicidal agents such as thymol, sodium benzoate, etc. 1 The unusual thickening and stabilizing eiTect is particularly shown upon the addition of the finely divided special oat fraction of the present invention to an aqueous composition or material such as to water, milk, cream, fru't Juices, water dispersions as, for example, used in the textile or pharmaceutical industries and where the pH of the aqueous composition, or, in the case of emulsions, where the pH oi? the external phase is within the range of pH 2.0 and pH 10.0. This wide methods of making the same," and Serial No. 463,651 filedOctober 28, 1942, entitled Ice cream compositions."

By the term total protein" as used in the claims of this application is meant the total amount of protein present in the special oat fraction of the present application. 7

Having described my invention, what I claim i -a 1. A finely divided,.dry milled oat product, said oat product containing in excess of about 20% total protein and said oatproduct having. a relatively low starch and a relatively high protein content as compared to dehulled oats.

2. The finely divided coarse fract'on of dehulled oats, said finely divided coarse fraction being substantially free of those particles which will go through a mesh screen when the dehulled oats are pulverized to a fineness that will permit a major proportion thereof to pass through a 60 mesh screen.

3. The finely divided coarse fraction of dehulled oats, said-finely divided coarse fraction being substantially free of those particles which will go through a 60'mesh screen when the dehulled oats are pulverized to a fineness that will permit to thereof to pass through a 60 mesh screen.

4. A dry milled oat product having'a fineness of at least 60 mesh, said oat product containing in excess of about 20% total protein and said oat product havinga relatively low starch and a rel- SIDNEY MUSHER. 

